Thermal drones deployed to monitor native animals under threat

by the University of Melbourne
September 15, 2025

Specialised drones are making it easier to find and monitor some of Victoria’s most elusive and endangered animals in native forests, according to new research.

Published in Ecological Applications, the study – led by University of Melbourne Dr Benjamin Wagner – reveals that drones equipped with thermal cameras are improving conservation efforts for iconic and threatened forest wildlife over traditional methods.

“Populations of our endangered wildlife are shrinking due to habitat loss, forest fires, and climate change,” Dr Wagner said.

“Monitoring them is crucial to their survival, but as many species spend most of their time high in the trees, they can be incredibly difficult to detect.”

Conventional “spotlighting” involves surveyors walking transects of forest at night and catching reflection from animals’ eyes using torches. Not only it is slow, labour-intensive and can be hazardous for the surveying team, spotlighting often fails to detect all animals present.

In contrast, the new study found drones can cover up to 10 times the survey area in the same time and with far greater efficiency.

Keep reading: https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2025/september/thermal-drones-deployed-to-monitor-native-animals-under-threat

Read the Ecological Applications paper: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/eap.70091